Ramakrishna Mission, Singapore edited

Silent activities of the Ramakrishna Mission, Singapore for various noble causes for the peaceful living The Ramakrishna Mission Singapore would turn 90 in just three years’ time. To be precise, this unique organization continues to serve Singapore and the region silently since 7th August 1928 onwards when a local branch of the Ramakrishna Monastery of India was established in Singapore.

Basically, Ramakrishna Mission is a Hindu religious and spiritual organization led by the monks of the Ramakrishna Order of monks in India. But it is uniquely secular in nature by two main reasons:1) The founder Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902) taught that “Serving living human brethren” is truly equal if not better than to any mode of ritualistic worship or prayers carried out in any temples or monasteries. He also urged his followers to serve the humanity by helping them to excel in their accomplishments to live with dignity in society by unlocking their hidden human possibilities and strength in them.

2) The founder’s spiritual teacher Sri Ramakrishna (1836-1886), in whose name this organization stands, proved by his own personal experiences that each and every religion in this world is a valid and true path leading humanity to God or Truth. He taught the followers of every religion he met, to go into the spiritual depths of their own religions where the apparent differences do not exist in its purest form. Hence Sri Ramakrishna is known among the historians, intelligentsia and the religious leaders as the most vocal “Prophet of Religious Harmony” in the contemporary human history.

The above two key points make the Ramakrishna Mission a truly secular organization as far as its activities are concerned in spite of the fact that it is basically a Hindu spiritual or religious organization.

The following are the key activities of the Singapore Centre:Page | 1

1) Charitable: Ramakrishna Mission Singapore started taking care of orphan children since 1940 and Ramakrishna Mission Boys’ Home was officially opened on 14 April 1943 at present premises to provide decent shelter, parental care, education, food, clothing and moral and spiritual guidance to nurture orphan boys and children from broken families into dignified citizens. Everything is provided free until they get an employment after completing their National Military services and their academic/ professional studies. Many alumni of this Boys Home are reputed citizens of Singapore.

Another charitable welfare activity is the distribution of Food ration from door to door to several deserving families without any publicity by the help of committed volunteers on case to case basis.

2) Educational: Ramakrishna Mission Singapore used to run schools since 1932 but due to declining enrolment they were closed by 1981. At present the Mission runs Sarada Kindergarten, which started in 1993, is recognized as one of high-quality preschools in Singapore facilitating visits by many early childhood educators and researchers from all over the world. At present about 490 children are enrolled from nursery to K2.

3) Physiological: As part of the Boys’ Home and Kindergarten programs, interests in physical activities are nurtured by engaging them in various sports and games activities for all children under our care. On the top of it, the Sunday Yoga class for the public, which started in 1997, is an important activity. So far more than 20,000 people underwent this Yoga course. Our Yoga classes are free of charges. Our Kindergarten Alumni organization (TAPAS) conducts nature walks regularly.

4) Psychological: Ramakrishna Mission WINGS Counseling Centre is a pioneer in the field of counseling among schools and also to the public. At present they offer various services like family support and counselling programme for children / youths / individuals / couples and families from 2.5 – 65 years old, supervision and internship for budding counsellors and psychiatric consultation etc.

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5) Spiritual: We have a beautiful hill-top temple where people can spend quiet moments for meditation and also for attending regular worship, celebrations and prayers. The temple is open to people from all religions.

Public can attend silent meditation sessions with the monks from 6am to 7 am every day. Annual religious worships like Deepavali, Durga Puja, birth anniversaries of Hindu Prophets like Rama, Krishna, Shankara, Ramakrishna, Sarada Devi and Vivekananda are observed. It is interesting to note that we have special worship of Lord Buddha and Jesus Christ on Vesak day and on Christmas Eve respectively every year! Another sacred duty carried out here in the temple is imparting the sacrament known as “Spiritual initiation� (Mantra-diksha) to serious devotees by Ordained Gurus of the Ramakrishna Order.

6) Knowledge sharing: We have a public library with several rare books on spirituality, religion, biographies, history and art. Regular classes on Sanskrit language, Vedic-chanting, Scriptures are conducted regularly by the monks and senior devotees on weekly basis for the adults and children.

Ramakrishna Mission is one of the few Organizations in the world having a huge network of publication centres in many world languages. Books are available here in our book stall for sales at a very premium discount and also for free distributions. We conduct our bookstalls at several venues outside the campus wherever we are allowed to put up stalls.

7) Religious harmony activities: Ramakrishna Mission Singapore is one the the founding members of the IRO (Inter Religious Organization). In fact, the necessity to start such an organization was introduced in the like minded people by the monks of the Ramakrishna Order. It is a regular feature you can see the presence of the Ramakrishna Monks in almost all inter religious meetings or seminars. We encourage people to be role models as ambassadors of Religious harmony.

8) Transparency in accounting practices: The parent organization from its very inception in 1897, enforced absolute transparency in its accounting practices publishing all donations and expenditure annually. Even the Page | 3

United Nations commented about this great vision of its founder on transparency of accounting practices. Every single cent received as donations for the Mission would be accounted and receipts are issued meticulously. The audited reports are circulated among the members (currently we have 400 over members) and available for public scrutiny.

9) Mentoring and grooming people: Based on the Universal teachings of Ramakrishna-Vivekananda, the monks instill positive interests in people to become responsible citizens. They guide them to excel in character, to become charitable spiritual aspirants with a great stress on the need of Religious harmony in the society. Monks from the monastery lead this activity under the leadership of the President Swami Vimokshananda by regular discourses, spiritual mentoring by personal interviews. The success stories of this silent activity of the Ramakrishna Mission are known only to those committed devotees who regularly visit the campus at 179, Bartley Road in Singapore. People are groomed to lead spiritual lives without sectarian bigotry and intolerance. They are taught to lead a life of commitment to Truthfulness, Piety, Social responsibility, religious harmony accepting all religions as valid paths. They are taught to become a law abiding citizen. Nurture courage to help those in need, sacrificing of the self interests by putting “others’ interests first” etc. ….the list goes on. This silent activity of the Mission to make a Hindu a better Hindu, a Christian a better Christian, a Buddhists a better Buddhists or a free-thinker a better free thinker, a philanthropist a better philanthropist etc. is the pinnacle of the edifice known as the Ramakrishna Movement.

Interestingly, all our major activities are carried out and led by volunteers under the leadership and guidance of the monks. None of the monks take a single cent as paid salaries by virtue of their solemn oath taken during their Ordination ceremony. These monks are the life-long volunteers serving the Singapore society on 24/7 as a mode of their spiritual practice and worship.

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